Comments on: On the Psychic Abilities of Japanese Salarymen

By: Reading The Air (1) | The Japanese Role Playing Game

Reading The Air (1) | The Japanese Role Playing Game — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 00:53:50 +0000

[…] heavy activity. It’s why, when you first arrive in Japan, it seems like, without a word, everyone just knows where to be and what to do, as Eryk Salvaggio describes so completely. Eventually you pick up on these rhythms in the air, and you too know what you should be […]

By: roaminsticka

roaminsticka — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 04:19:42 +0000

I’ve often tried to put forward the “psychic Japanese” theory and been shot down. People are on the same page without ever communicating anything. I’ve witnessed several times when no one says a word about a schedule change to anyone, and suddenly at the designated time everyone gets up and meets at the agreed place. How do they all know this without talking? Psychic ability.

By: On Having No Comment in Japan | This Japanese Life. | 生命を外面九天です

On Having No Comment in Japan | This Japanese Life. | 生命を外面九天です — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:43:31 +0000

[...] and was now being asked to surrender. If we “read the air,” – my favorite Japanese phrase for the impossible task of understanding situations intuitively and not actually communicating – we might assume that Japan would be insulted and reject the proposal, even if it meant [...]

By: On Not Apologizing in Japan | This Japanese Life. | 生命を外面九天です

On Not Apologizing in Japan | This Japanese Life. | 生命を外面九天です — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 11:48:29 +0000

[...] Use Your Words Last year, an English-speaking co-worker was put in charge of making sure I didn’t die, which would have been inconvenient for my office. She was thorough, but spoke in a distinctly Japanese math. Everything was parenthetical and algebraic. Nothing was straightforward, variables were constantly implied. My work schedule would be evoked rather than explained. The Japanese call it “reading the air,” a skill that English would best translate as “read her mind.” [...]

By: On Being Selfish in Japan | This Japanese Life. | 生命を外面九天です

On Being Selfish in Japan | This Japanese Life. | 生命を外面九天です — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:31:16 +0000

[...] didn’t say this to my co-workers, because it would be incomprehensible. But Japanese people are psychics, so my coworkers went on the [...]

By: On Japanese Probability | This Japanese Life. | 生命を外面九天です

On Japanese Probability | This Japanese Life. | 生命を外面九天です — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 12:05:48 +0000

[...] speakers unaccustomed to this indirect style – that is, those who haven’t yet become psychic – it feels like we’re slowly being pulled into a [...]

By: Is Japan a “Racist Monoculture”? On Anders Breivik’s Japan | This Japanese Life. | 生命を外面九天です

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:08:11 +0000

[...] Perks of Monoculturalism Japan is monocultural and monoculture has its perks. People usually understand one another, which leads to more social cohesion. Everyone is part of [...]

By: J-Cin Sundays: “Achilles and the Tortoise” and the Contemporary Japanese Art World | This Japanese Life. | 生命を外面九天です

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 04:33:26 +0000

[...] of Japan’s tendency to pound down the nail that sticks out – it’s a country that enjoys harmony and prefers conformity. Many artists with a unique vision face audiences who don’t know how to respond – and [...]

By: How to Bow in Japan | This Japanese Life. | 生命を外面九天です

How to Bow in Japan | This Japanese Life. | 生命を外面九天です — Tue, 10 May 2011 14:06:16 +0000

[...] Just imagine that every added “o” is a half-inch further down, and you can figure out what kind of damage the bow is announcing (This is also useful for your education in Japan’s psychic arts). [...]

By: Jeff

Jeff — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 14:23:30 +0000

Thanks for your honest posting. I have had Japanese colleagues and Japanese sister-in-law and I always “feel” that they read my mind. Before I DO anything, or SAY anything, or INTEND to approach anything–they know. It has been amusing, scary and wonderful experience! I LOVE working with Japanese colleagues–they are super professional and are great collaborators. They know WHAT needs to get done–as soon as I pay attention into their “unspoken words”. Somehow, I feel I become more insightful when I work with Japanese. Of course, sometimes, I feel exhausting to constantly “guess” what they think or feel. Interesting.